Man charged with alleged seduction and sexual assault of several teenagers

A Calgary man faces two dozen charges for allegedly luring and sexually abusing several teenagers on the Internet.

The Calgary Police Department's Child Abuse Unit began investigating in January 2024 after receiving reports of sexual abuse of a girl.

Investigators allege the victim met a man after meeting him online. The pair then met in the man's car, where he offered the girl alcohol in exchange for sexual acts, police said.

The victim told her mother about the incident and the mother called the police.

Police have now identified five more victims aged between 12 and 16.

It is alleged that the suspect met the girls through online apps such as Instagram and Snapchat and then met them in person. The suspect offered each victim alcohol or marijuana in exchange for sexual acts, police said.

Darren Smith, an assistant inspector in the CPS's serious crime unit, said police could not confirm whether there were any more victims but expressed concerns.

“The victims in this case did not know each other and did not know the perpetrator,” Smith said. “If we already have six victims, there is a possibility that there are more.”

Hammad Shaikh, 24, of Calgary, faces 24 charges, including five counts of sexual assault, five counts of sexual exploitation, four counts of sexual battery and four counts of enticement. He also faces multiple counts of producing, possessing and accessing child pornography.

The accused will appear in a Calgary courtroom on September 10.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the police.

Calgary Police offer tips on online safety

The Calgary Police Department has released a series of safety tips that parents can discuss with their children regarding their online habits:

• Be aware of who you interact with. Strangers on the Internet may not reveal their identity
• Never publish or share digital photos of yourself
• Never disclose personal information such as your address, phone number or school number
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you have interacted with online
• Tell your parents if you feel uncomfortable or receive threatening emails, messages or text messages.

“The most important thing is to talk to your kids about online safety,” says Smith. “Never meet anyone you met online.”